About Francesca Grilli

Francesca Grilli’s performances and installations are studies of technology, human interaction, and the experience of the passage of time. Grilli was originally trained in photography and graphic design, and early on made videos and photographs. The shift in her practice came naturally for the artist: “the transition from photography from performance is easy,” she has said. “I re-create moving images, still frames.” Many of Grilli’s performances either invite participation from the audience or are enacted by dancers or musicians. Recurring motifs in these include sign language, flames, and endurance; her references frequently allude to art historical movements—Romanticism, the Pre-Raphaelites, Dada—and to the history of cinema. Grilli rarely appears in her own performances, explaining, “because I am fascinated by the life of other people, I do not think my physical presence is necessary.”